Joyce A. Yonushewski of Vernon, N.J., passed away on Monday, Feb. 22, 2021, at Forest Manor Health Care Center in Blairstown. She was 87.
Born in Paterson, N.J., to the late Arthur and Jeanne (Kuiken) Davis, Joyce lived in Paterson, Paramus, Haledon, and Newfoundland before moving to Sussex County. Although Joyce was born in Paterson and raised in Paramus, she did not care for life in the city and choose to raise her family in Newfoundland, N.J., where she built her first home in 1955. When she was not busy raising her family, she was working as a bank teller at the local bank. During those early years, her social life was centered around the American Legion, where she was involved in many volunteer and leadership positions and formed life long friendships.
Her favorite vacation spot was usually any place with a beach, but her preferred destination was Beach Haven on Long Beach Island, where she had a second home and loved to entertain friends. During her retirement years, she moved further north to Wantage and traveled the US and Europe as much as possible. During her final years, she shared a home with her daughter, Lynda and grandson, where she truly enjoyed all the family activity and harvesting her home grown tomatoes at the end of each summer.
She was a member of the Sussex United Methodist Church and the church’s choir. Joyce was a also a member of the Red Hat Society, the Sussex Over 50 Club, and the American Legion Post 423 Auxiliary of Oak Ridge, where she was recently recognized for 65 years of membership.
Joyce was predeceased by her first husband, John Yonushewski in 1991 and her second husband, Willard J. Shelly in 2004. She is survived by her son, John Yonushewski and his wife Maureen of Denver, Colorado; her daughter, Lynda Griffin of Vernon; her half-brother, James Davis and his wife Becky of Lakewood, Colorado; and three grandchildren, Christopher and Kate Yonushewski and Michael Griffin.
Friends paid their respects to the family on March 1 at the Pinkel Funeral Home, Sussex, N.J. Funeral services were held March 2 at the Sussex United Methodist Church, Sussex, with the Rev. Dan Gepford officiating. Private interment in Milton Cemetery was to be held at the convenience of the family.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Sussex United Methodist Church, 15 Bank St., Sussex, NJ 07461; or the Glenwood Pochuck Volunteer Ambulance Corps., P.O. Box 241, Glenwood, NJ 07418.